Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/128204
o 8 o Continued from page 3 cia/length of the new motorcycle course has yet to be determined. The new course will be used during the AMA Suzuki Superbike Showdown presented by Dark Dog May 15-18, the WERA Regionals July 5·6 and the WERA Grand National Finals October 29·November 2. The new course will also be used for the Kevin Schwantz Suzuki School. "Responding to concerns of riders and AMA Pro Racing, Road Atlanta has taken these proactive steps to increase safety and provide the riders a more exciting venue," says Mike Swaine, president and general manager of Road Atlanta. "We have worked closely with AMA Pro Racing in order to build a new portion of the track that addresses the safety concerns." Instead of taking the fast, wide, sweeping turns through turns 3-4, motorcycle racers will now make a qUick left·hand tum just past the apex of turn 2 then continue with a right and left· hand turn combination going down the hill before blending back into the original track in tum 4. The new portion of the track, paved in the wide grassy area between the original track and the retaining wall well away from the racing surface on the left, is 36 feet wide and substantially increases the runoff room on riders' right. "The changes have taken the wall at tum four out of the pic· ture and make for safer racing," says Kevin Schwantz, the 1993 500cc World Champion and member of the AMA Pro Racing Board who also runs the Kevin Schwantz Suzuki School at Road Atlanta. "I feel that Road Atlanta is one of the really great road courses on the (AMA Superbike) schedule, and to make changes for safety reasons is a good idea. Turns 3·4 have been a point of concern over the past couple of sea· sons. I think the changes that are being made will add another passing area and make racing safer. It will be a more tech· nical section. You'll get on the brakes going into the new turn 3A, and you'll accelerate going down the hill. You'll be able to pass under braking coming out of 3A. It's not just a silly chicane every· body has to just follow through the bike in front. If you've got a good bike, it will make you win by more. If you've got a bad bike, it will make you struggle more to keep up." For more information visit www.roadatlanta.com . o 2 o o o o o 8 o o o o o o o c 8 o o o c o n U n , u CJ o o o The WERA Vintage Racing Series has signed on several sponsors for the 2003 Vintage racing season, according ( 1 to a release issued by the organization. Those sponsors include: Honda Carland; PCS Daytona. Team Steve "0", Bore Tech, Moto Europa/Ducati Richmond, Bob's BMW, Vintage Specalities, Van· son Leathers, and Progressive Suspen. c u o o o (J o sion. The Trials Training Center and Ryan Young Products have announced a special event which will take place at the Trials Training Center in Sequatchie, o n 92 MARCH 12,2003' c: U c: I Dorna, the organization that has run the FIM World Motocross Championship Series for the past two years, will not continue its association with motocross in 2004. The F1M is presently looking at other options, with an official replacement expected to be announced in April. The news of Doma's departure from the sport is now looking a little confusing, as the complete World Motocross Championship fonnat had been changed by the Spanish company with the intent on making it more attractive for live television. With Doma's leaving the picture, it is now unknown if live television will be a certainty in 2004 or if the series format will remain the same. Since Doma arrived on the scene, the company has made ITUIny changes to the World MX Series, such as going to the Triple Grand Tennessee, March 29·30. Champion rid· ers from all the trials teams in North America (including Sherco, GasGas, Beta, Montesa and Scorpa) will partici· pate in Trials Training Days, sponsored by RYP. It's not a competition but rather a weekend of riding and practicing and learning (and watching champ riders show off) and generally a just great time on triais bikes. The event will have something for everybody, and beginners to experts will be able to learn some· thing new and have an enjoyable time. The event will have a "loop" with .. sec· tions" along the loop. Each" sectionwill be an instruction station manned by two or more instructors and which will concentrate on a specific trials riding technique, i.e.: rock stops, logs, uphills and downhills, camber turns, making traction when there is none, and others. For more information, visit www.trial· strainingcenter.com. Australian road racer Marty Cragg ill, Bruce Transportation Group's lone rider for the 2003 season, will miss Daytona after undergoing surgery on February 22 to have a disk removed from his neck, according to Bruce's Joey Osowski. "At the two tests we did, he couldn't ride up to par," Osowski said of his rider. "At Laguna, he only did nine laps and had to stop because of the pain in his neck. He came back down here [Southern Califor· niaJ. saw his doctor and had surgery. He seems fine now, and he's feeling good. He's up and walking around, and he doesn't have a neck brace or anything. But we've deCided to miss Daytona and get ready for Fontana." Craggill rode Valvoline Suzukis in last year's AMA series, filling in for the injured Josh Hayes. Longtime Honda rider and cross country race legend Scott Summers has put to rest any rumors of his return this year to the Grand National Cross Country Series in a statement released from OMS Sports' headquarters. Summers, who will not be on the starting line at the GNCC opener dUring Bike Week in Day· tona, Florida, will instead continue his duties with American Honda Motor Company (AHM) during Bike Week. Said Summers: "This January I started going to some SETRA and Mid·South n • _ !IS • Prix fonnat, with all three classes run on the same day at the same circuit. Doma introduced the single·moto format, asked the clubs that run the Grands Prix to pay larger sanctioning fees, and changed the timing of the motos • with the final molD of the day finishing at around 3 p.m. Also, the price to watch a GP rose significantly. Most of the changes have been met with disappointment from the diehard motocross followers, and crowds have diminished in the last two years. On a positive note, the facilities for the Motocross World Cham· pionships have been greatly improved with the involvement of DoITUI, It seems the growth of the sport has been too slow for Doma, who never got the return expected from the sport. Geoff Meyer Hare Scrambles and was happy to find out that my speed returned along with my health after such a long layoff. After winning the past three events against riders like Raines, Hawk and Woodford [all GNCC winners last yearl, I was moti· vated to try and put together a racing program for 2003 and come out of retirement. I fully understand what level of preparation that is needed to put together a championship program, and to go racing without it would not be fair to Honda or any of my other longtime supporters. With thiS in mind, I've made the choice to continue focusing on my contracted duties with Honda and the HRCA for 2003 and will keep the 2004 race season in the back of my mind. Who knows? If my schedule allows I may even show up at a GNCC this year. The Motorcycle Hall of Fame Museum has announced that Dal Smi· lie, of Helena, Montana, has become a "Charter Founder" by contributing more than $50,000 to the museum. Smilie's support, which began in 1985, includes financial contributions as well as in-kind donations, such as rare motorcycling post cards, AMA Gypsy Tour memora· bilia, and other literature, art and col· lectibles. He also serves on the Motor· cycle Hall of Fame Museum board of directors and is vice chairman of the AMA board of directors... Dal's extraor· dinary generosity is just one of many ways that he shows his leadership in the American motorcycling community, " said Don Emde, chairman of the muse· um's board of directors. "Everyone who supports our mission of preserving motorcycling's heritage gratefully wei· comes Dal as our newest Charter Founder." Smilie joins four other individ· ual Charter Founders: Mike and Mar· garet Wilson of Cedar Rapids, Iowa (1997>; Robert and Mae Beard of Fort Wayne, Indiana (1998); Fred and Jerri· ann Dauer of Honolulu, Hawaii (1999); and Samuel G. Swope of Louisville, Kentucky (2000>. Contributions exceed· ing $50,000 from Progressive Motor· cycle Insurance and the Antique Motor· cycle Club of America have earned these organizations Charter Founder status as well. Matt Hall, 83, died on January 16 in Carbondale, Illinois, from heart failure caused by pneumonia. Hall was a char· ter member of the Illinois Motorcycle Dealers Association (IMDA), and he owned Speede Service motorcycle shop from 1935·1998. Hall is survived by three sisters, Lottie Hall, Pricilla Bell and Carry Greynolds, daughters Brenda Gither and Sandy Newport, grandsons Matthew Tackett and Padraic Newport, and a granddaughter, Colleen Newport. Corona Extra Suzuki has announced that it will be entering the Superbike class for the 2003 AMA Superbike Season with support from American Suzuki Motor Corporation and Suzuki Japan. Jordan Szoke will be handling the riding duties aboard the all·new 2003 GSXR 1000. "I'm really excited to get back into the Superbike class," Szoke said... It was great racing the class on the Harley, but obviously we struggled. Now to get back in on the Suzuki with factory support should mean a really competitive pack· age. I can't wait for the green flag to dropl" The GFI Winter Series North-South Showdown will be held March 29·30 at Oatfield Raceway with full factory contingency available, according to GFI. GFI will also hold its National Amateur Day on March 22·23 at Racetown in Adelanto, California. For more informa· tion, call GFI at 909/341 ·8002. In response to overwhelming consumer demand, Yamaha will be offering demo rides on a limited number of 2003 FJR 1300s at Daytona Bike Week. This will also mark the first opportunity for the public to see on display the recently announced 2004 FJR 1300 with ABS (Anti·Lock Braking System). In addition to the FJR 1300, Yamaha will also have its Star Cruiser line well represented with everything from the Road Star War· rior, the venerable Road Star models, the V Star 1100 and 650, and the Royal Star Venture. Slots are allocated daily on a first·come, first·serve basis. Bring a valid motorcycle license, a helmet with eye protection, and over·the·ankle boots, pants and a long·sleeved shirt. eN